The Eatontown Stakes (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
MTH- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf
June 17, 2023

The Eatontown Stakes has similar conditions to the MTH Stakes, just being for females. It will go a little more than a mile on the turf course, and runs for the 17th time. It has always been a Grade 3 over that time, and the $150.000 purse level has been constant as well. We will have six horses in the race, and they will also need to be concerned about the possibility of an off track. Last year race saw Rebel Girl cut her way to a win for Marijane Racing Stab, but it would be her final career win. She now serves as a broodmare for Lemax Farms. Here’s a quick look at our field for the 2023 edition!

#1- Marner (Mb Stables, ridden by N Juarez)- On the rail, this Face Your Fear mare comes off a near miss in the $150.000 License Fee at BEL, missing the headbob at the wire. It was her second straight runner up finish. You have to go back to last October for her last win, and it was a good one, the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive at SA, but the time has been ticking. Seems like a horse that may be due, and this may end up being the perfect field for her to get back in the win column.

#2- Appealing Decima (The Sidley Stud, ridden by J Rendon)- All of her six career starts have come at either PEN or TUP, and she raced at the beginning of this month, where she won the PEN Oaks. It’s a result that got the trainer so excited that he will jump her all the way up into stakes company after just two weeks. While her work times are good, I do believe she will need more than that to win here. However, her weight allowance can be quite advantageous.

#3- Stellar Agent (Night Rider Stables, ridden by J C Ferrer)- Last October, Stellar Agent won the Grade 1 Taylor Stakes at WO, but since then she has lost her next four races by a combined 23 lengths. Some of that you can forgive, but her last outing, where she was beaten by seven in the Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay is hard to ignore. This is a shorter race, though I am not sure if that fact alone will make a big difference for her. Needs to find that version of herself from the Taylor.

#4- Catnip Crusader (Czech Our Farms, ridden by P L Cotta Jr)- Over her 23-race career, this Spotted Cat mare as been an inconsistent one. At times, she has been very good, and has even won the $100.000 Mrs. Penny Stakes, for PA-breds, twice, and was a solid second in the Queen Of The Green Stakes at TUP in March. Then, she has too many starts like her last one as well, where she didn’t show up for an open allowance at PIM. Capable, but I can’t trust her.

#5- Paris Candy (Glorify Stables, ridden by I Castillo)- We saw Paris Candy last month in the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes at PIM, and she ran well, placing second though was not a threat to the winner (Inquisition). Over her career, she has done a very good job getting some portion of the purse for her trainer, but has not been able to pick up a win since doing so in an open allowance last August. I look for her to have a typical race for herself, hitting the board, but without a win.

#6- Temperature (Riggins Racing, ridden by L J Luzzi)- The second of two three year olds in this field, and the six pound weight allowance that they get is simply massive and can play a huge role in the outcome here. Temperature showed promise in her juvenile season, but never really got going the way prior trainer Aer Stables wanted, and he would sell her to Riggins for $375.000 at the end of March. Has run well in a couple of overnights, and this would seem to be a good spot for her to show she run against this company again.

Prediction: 1-6-5-3

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES